Hugh Downman
Dr. Hugh Downman (1740 - 23 September 1809) was an English poet and physician. Life Downman was the son of Hugh Downman of Newton House, Newton St. Cyres, Exeter. He was educated at the Exeter grammar school. He entered Balliol College, Oxford, 1758, earning a B.A. in 1763, and was ordained in Exeter Cathedral the same year. His clerical prospects being very small, he went to Edinburgh to study medicine, and boarded with poet Thomas Blacklock. In 1768 he published The Land of the Muses; a poem in the manner of Spenser, by H.D. In 1769 he visited London for hospital practice, and in 1770, after earning an M.A. at Jesus College, Cambridge, he practised medicine at Exeter, where he married the daughter of Dr. Andrew. A chronic complaint in 1778 compelled him to retire for a time. Downman seems to have resumed medical practice at Exeter about 1790, and in 1796 he founded there a literary society of 12 members. A volume of the society's essays was printed, and a second volume is said to exist in manuscript. Downman wrote the opening address, and essays on "Serpent Worship," on the "Shields of Hercules and Achilles," and on "Pindar,' with a translation of the 11th Pythian and 2nd Isthmian odes. In 1805 Downman finally relinquished his practice on account of ill-health. In 1808 the literary society was discontinued. He died at Alphington, near Exeter, with the reputation of an able and humane physician and a most amiable man. Two years before he died an anonymous editor collected and published the various critical opinions and complimentary verses on his poems, Isaac D'Israeli's (1792) being among them. Writing His best-known poem, Infancy; or The management of children, was published in three separate parts, 1774-1776; a seventh edition was issued in 1809. In 1775 appeared The Drama,’ London, 4to; An Elegy written under a Gallows,’ London, 4to; and The Soliloquy, Edinburgh, 4to. During his retirement he also published Lucius Junius Brutus, five acts, London, 1779 (not performed); Belisarius, played in Exeter theatre for a few nights; and Editha: A tragedy, Exeter, 1784 — founded on a local incident, and performed for 16 nights. These plays appeared in one volume as Tragedies, by H.D., M.D., Exeter, 1792, 8vo. He also published Poems to Thespia, Exeter, 1781, 8vo, and The Death Song of Ragnar Lodbrach, translated from the Latin of Olaus Wormius, London, 1781, 4to. He was one of the translators of an edition of Voltaire's works in English, London, 8vo, 1781. In 1791 he published Poems, second edition, London, 8vo, comprising the "Land of the Muses" (with a second version) and Ragnar Lodbrach. He was also contributor to Mr. Polwhele's Collections of the Poetry of Devon and Cornwall. Publications Poetry *''The Land of the Muses: A poem in the manner of Spenser''. Edinburgh: privately published, 1768. *''An Elegy Wrote under a Gallows''. London: privately published, 1768, 1770. *''The Soliloquy: A poem''. . Edinburgh: privately published, 1770. *''Infancy; or, The management of Children: A didactic poem, in six books. London: G. Kearsley. ''Book the first, 1774, Book the second, 1775, Book the third, 1776 **''complete'', Edinburgh: John Bell, 1776, 1790; Exeter, UK: Trewman, 1803. *''The Drama: A poem''. London: J. Williams, 1775. *''Poems to Thespia''. Exeter, UK: W. Grigg, 1781. *''Poems. Exeter, UK: R. Trewman, for , for G.G. & J. Robinson / G. & T. Wilkie / G. Kearsley / et al, 1790. *''Poems to Thespia; to which are added sonnets, etc. Exeter, UK: R. Trewman, 1792. *''Poems: Sacred to love and beauty''. (2 volumes), Exeter, UK: Trewman, 1808. Plays *''Belisarius: A tragedy''. . Exeter, UK: E. Grigg, for G.G. & J. Robinson / G. & T. Wilkie / G. Kearsley, 1742. *''Lucius Junius Brutus, or the expulsion of the Tarquins: an historical play''. London: J. Wilkie / Fielding & Walker / G. Kearsley / P. Elmsley, 1779. *''Editha: A tragedy''. . Exeter, UK: E. Grigg, for G. Kearsley / G. Wilkie / et al, 1784. *''Tragedies. Exeter, UK: E. Grigg, for G.G. & J. Robinson / G. & T. Wilkie / G. Kearsley / et al, 1792. Translated *Voltaire, ''Annals of the Empire: From the death of Charlemagne. London: J. Walker, 1781. *Ole Worm, The Death Song of Ragnar Lodbrach. London: Fielding & Walker, 1781. *Voltaire,The Dramatic Works (translated with David Williams). (2 volumes), London: Fielding & Walker, 1781. Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:Hugh Downman, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, June 5, 2016. See also *List of British poets References * . Wikisource, Web, June 5, 2016. Notes External links ;Poems *Dr. Hugh Downman (1740-1809) info & 13 poems at English Poetry, 1579-1830 ;About *Hugh Downman: Exeter doctor and poet at Exeter Historical Society *"Hugh Downman, MD (1740–1809) of Exeter and his poem on infant care" at Archives of Disease in Childhood * Downman, Hugh Category:1740 births Category:1809 deaths Category:18th-century poets Category:English physicians Category:English-language poets Category:English poets Category:Poets Category:People from Exeter